This invention relates to a mount for redressably mounting a sign such as a bridge marker and the like to substantially prevent bridge markers as such from being broken off upon impact with structures or vehicles crossing over the bridges.
Sign mounts, stands, posts, and the like are well known in the art; wherein, the mounts, stands, and posts are mostly spring loaded to spring back upon impact or have flexible resilient means to flex and reflex back into a resting upright position after impact. These mounts, stands, and posts generally become brittle and rigid over a period of time and tend to break off. Even the springs lose reflexive strength over a period of time as a result of rust forming thereon. None of the prior art has solved the ever present problem of weather weakening the resilience and/or reflexive nature of bamboo-like poles or springs.
One known prior art is a SIGN, U.S. Pat. No. 1,856,349, comprising a base, a support mounted to swing on the base with respect to the horizontal axis, means for yieldably limiting the swinging movement of the support, a sign, and means hingedly connecting the upper portion of the sign to the support.
Another known prior art is a RESILIENT MOUNTING FOR A SIGN POST, U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,720, comprising a ground attached lower section, a separate upper section for carrying the sign and a resilient connection between the upper and lower sections, the resilient section being a bundle of rods securely clamped to one section and relatively loosely attached to the other sections so that the rods can slide relative to each other when the sections are moved temporarily out of alignment upon impact.
Another known prior art is a SELF-REDRESSING SLALOM POLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,012, comprising a standpipe, a ground part to be inserted into the ground and a tipping element arranged between the ground part and standpipe which consists of fiber-reinforced synthetic material.
Another known prior art is a HINGED SLALOM GATE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,109, comprising a lower support member adapted to be inserted into the snow, a retractable anchoring member mounted in the support member to retract the gate in an upright position upon being knocked over upon impact.
Another known prior art is a STAND FOR MOTIONABLY MOUNTING ADVERTISEMENTS, U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,258, comprising a foot structure resting on the ground, a mount for advertisements resting on the foot structure by means of a pendulum support having a horizontal swing axis and retractable to an upright position by means of a spring.
Another known prior art is a FLEXIBLE MAILBOX STAND, U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,783, comprising an upper section, a lower section coaxially aligned with the upper section with a spring stretched inside the two sections to urge the two sections towards one another and to urge the upper section to rebound in coaxial alignment with the lower section upon the upper section being impacted.
Another known prior art is a TRAFFIC SIGNALLING POST, U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,348, comprising a flexible rod member, a rigid shaft coaxially secured at one end to the rod member, an anchor bore member adapted to house the shaft for maintaining the latter in a vertical position, the bore member also having an elastic diaphragm.
The prior art over a period of time as disclosed above is definitely susceptible to wearing out because of extended use, of rust forming on the mounts causing the mounts to not reflex upon the signs being impacted, and of freeze up because of inadequate drainage of any water standing on the mounts causing the mounts to become rigid upon the signs being impacted. The function of the present invention is not affected by extended use, rust, or ice. There is a definite need for a mount upon which a sign reflexes upon being impacted regardless of the extended use of the mount, rust accumulated on the mount, or ice formed on the mount during winter weather.